I've been reading books by John Gierach a lot recently. He's a fly fisher and writer currently living in Colorado, and in his book "At the Grave of an Unknown Fisherman" he had a chapter on a trip he took to central PA! I felt like he really got a pretty accurate understanding of PA during his trip.

He fished Spring Creek, Fishing Creek, the Little Juniata, and Spruce Creek. The parts that I really found amusing were his description of central Pennsylvanians as "so tough they can eat anything" - commenting on how the diner food was "almost always bad" in central PA.

Also he made sure to stock up on "inch worm" patterns, a.k.a. green weenies! He fished a green weenie as a dry fly on Spring creek and caught a trout that he had just seen rise to a piece of grass. Lol.

Just thought I'd share. I really enjoy John Gierach's books. If you haven't read at least one you ought to.

I have read alot of his books, he is a great writer and he writes alot about the environmental issues. I haven't read the book you are talking about though. His stuff just makes me want to quit my job and live the life of a fish bumb.

Great writer! Not sure if it's the same Gierach book, but did you catch the part about Charles "Meek"? He made a comment a bout how cool it was that every car in the parking lot, had a copy of C.M.s' book on the front seat! Thought that was pretty neat.

azjackstraw wrote: Great writer! Not sure if it's the same Gierach book, but did you catch the part about Charles "Meek"? He made a comment a bout how cool it was that every car in the parking lot, had a copy of C.M.s' book on the front seat! Thought that was pretty neat.

Yea it was the same chapter in the same book that he made that comment. That book isn't one I own yet... I may look into it though.

John Gierach does not know anymore about fly fishing in Pennsylvania Colorado Australia Alaska Canada than YOU or MEHe is trying to sell books You and I Know just as much if not more especially when it comes to fishing in PA Steve98

I don't read Gierach for fishing advice. Now Charlie "Meek", that's a different story. Both John and Charlie get paid to write books about what they love, and fish a ton to boot, thats frickin tits in my book!

Wmass: "His stuff just makes me want to quit my job and live the life of a fish bumb."

I've read almost all of his books and "environmental issues" are not something that i remember much about. I don't find his stuff to be what t'd call instructional , his writing style reminds me of this website really , lighthearted stories about fly fishing for trout and all the things associated with the experience. His refusal to take any aspect of the experience too seriously is why i like him. It's like sit5tin around a campfire bsing about fishin.

steve98 wrote:John Gierach does not know anymore about fly fishing in Pennsylvania Colorado Australia Alaska Canada than YOU or MEHe is trying to sell books You and I Know just as much if not more especially when it comes to fishing in PA Steve98

Uh, Gierach's books are far from being instructional, although he did do one about fishing high mountain streams, one about small streams, and another about bamboo, but I think they are more about his passion for the topics rather than a "how to" guide.

steve98 wrote:John Gierach does not know anymore about fly fishing in Pennsylvania Colorado Australia Alaska Canada than YOU or MEHe is trying to sell books You and I Know just as much if not more especially when it comes to fishing in PA

Steve98

He might not know more about fly fishing PA than us, but I would be willing to bet he knows more about Colorado, Alaska, and Canada. He has fished at these places numerous times, and I bet not a lot of peple on this board have fished these other places as much as him. Experience on streams makes you more knowledgeable than inexperience.

steve98 wrote:John Gierach does not know anymore about fly fishing in Pennsylvania Colorado Australia Alaska Canada than YOU or MEHe is trying to sell books You and I Know just as much if not more especially when it comes to fishing in PA Steve98

I don't read his books for fishing instruction - I read them because they're entertaining and I like his writing style. Actually in his books he makes a point of talking about how uncomfortable he feels when people start assuming he's some sort of expert!